Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO Sanctuary Personal

Job Title: Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO)
Specialism: Social Worker – Children
Location: Portsmouth, UK
Salary: £47.00 per hour
Type: Ongoing, Part Time / Full Time

Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) within Children’s Social Care in Portsmouth, earning £47.00 per hour. This ongoing locum opportunity offers both part-time and full-time flexibility, including the option to work four days per week. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced social work professional to play a pivotal role in ensuring that children and young people receive the highest standards of care, with their views, wishes, and best interests remaining central to all planning and decision-making.

• Part Time / Full Time: Choose a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and supports a healthy work-life balance.
• Hourly Pay: Earn a highly competitive rate of £47.00 per hour, rewarding your expertise and leadership.
• Flexible Working: Benefit from the option of a four-day working week while maintaining a meaningful and impactful role.
• Professional Development: Access opportunities for ongoing learning and development to further enhance your practice.
• Networking Opportunities: Work alongside a wide range of professionals across Children’s Services and partner agencies.
• Meaningful Impact: Ensure children and young people receive high-quality care planning and positive outcomes.
• Quality Assurance Focus: Play a key role in driving service improvement and safeguarding standards across the service.

• Chair Reviews: Chair statutory Looked After Children (LAC) Reviews, ensuring care plans remain effective, outcome-focused, and child-centred.
• Care Plan Monitoring: Monitor the progress and implementation of care plans, challenging delays and addressing barriers to achieving positive outcomes.
• Child Participation: Ensure children and young people actively participate in reviews, with their wishes and feelings informing all planning.
• Permanency Planning: Scrutinise and support permanency plans, including reunification, long-term foster care, special guardianship, adoption, and independent living arrangements.
• Dispute Resolution: Escalate concerns through the IRO dispute resolution process where care planning or service delivery falls below expected standards.
• Safeguarding Oversight: Identify safeguarding concerns and ensure appropriate action is taken to protect children and young people.
• Multi-Agency Working: Develop effective partnerships with social workers, carers, education providers, health professionals, and other agencies.
• Quality Assurance: Produce detailed review reports and recommendations that contribute to service improvement and quality assurance.
• Legislative Compliance: Ensure all practice aligns with current legislation, statutory guidance, and best practice frameworks within children’s social care.

• Social Work
  
  Qualification:
  
  Degree in Social Work or equivalent recognised qualification.
• Registration: Current Social Work England registration.
• Experience: Significant post-qualification experience within Children’s Social Care.
• IRO
  
  Experience:
  
  Previous experience as an Independent Reviewing Officer, Child Protection Chair, Team Manager, or Senior Practitioner is highly desirable.
• Legislative Knowledge: Strong understanding of the Children Act 1989, Children Act 2004, IRO Handbook, Care Planning Regulations, and Working Together to Safeguard Children guidance.
• Child Protection Expertise: Extensive experience within safeguarding, child protection, and care planning services.
• Communication
  
  Skills:
  
  Excellent verbal, written, analytical, and report‑writing abilities.
• Challenge and Influencing
  
  Skills:
  
  Confidence to appropriately challenge practice and advocate for children to achieve positive outcomes.
• Multi-Agency
  
  Experience:
  
  Proven ability to work effectively across a range of agencies and professional disciplines.

Portsmouth combines rich maritime heritage with a vibrant modern lifestyle. Home to iconic attractions such as the Historic Dockyard, Spinnaker Tower, and Southsea seafront, the city offers a fantastic mix of culture, leisure, and community spirit. With excellent transport links, a thriving waterfront, and a welcoming atmosphere, Portsmouth is a fantastic place to develop your career while enjoying an exceptional quality of life.